This bill proposes to exempt community gardens that utilize on-site composting systems or other methods for managing organic waste from the requirement to obtain certain permits from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Specifically, the bill states that community gardens operating in compliance with DEP standards for recycling will not need permits under the "Solid Waste Management Act," the "New Jersey Statewide Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Act," the "Air Pollution Control Act," or the "Water Pollution Control Act."

To qualify for this exemption, the composting system must accept no more than 200 gallons of source-separated food waste per week, with an allowance for larger gardens (5,000 square feet or more) to accept additional waste proportional to their size. Furthermore, all compost produced must be used on-site for the community garden, although it may also be given away or sold in accordance with DEP regulations regarding processed Class C recyclable materials. The bill defines a community garden as any land maintained and cultivated by local community members.